Hypodermic syringe



Nov. 11, 1958 J, H. STROP 2,859,751

HYPODERMIC SYRINGE Filed Feb. 10, 1956 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY United States Patent HYPODERMIC SYRINGE John H. Stroop, NewYork, N. Y., assignor to Chas. Pfizer & Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., acorporation of Deiaware Application February 10, 1956, Serial No.564,746

2 Claims. (Cl. 128-218) This invention relates to a side-loadinghypodermic syringe body, andmore particularly to a side-loadinghypodermic syringe body for operatively receiving disposable cartridgeand needle assemblies.

Various hypodermic syringe bodies are in existence which providefacilities for injecting the medicament contained in a disposablecartridge and needle assembly. These syringe bodies assume various formsand configurations which require a number of machining and assemblyoperations during manufacture.

Disposable medicament-containing cartridge and needle assemblies havebeen accepted with enthusiasm by the medical profession. An example of ahighly successful cartridge and needle assembly is described in commonlyassigned copending application for U. S. Letters Patent Serial No.264,992, filed January 4, 1952, now U. S. Patent No. 2,737,949.

An advantageous property of a syringe body to be used with a disposablecartridge and needle assembly is a simple structure which conservesmaterial and is economical to manufacture. maintained at a minimum, theuse of the disposable type unit is encouraged. Even a slight saving inthe cost of a single mass-produced unit can add up to an appreciablesum.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel structure for ahypodermic syringe body which is conveniently used with disposablemedicament-containing cartridge and needle assemblies and is simple andinexpensive to manufacture.

In accordance with this invention a hypodermic syringe body foroperatively receiving a disposable cartridge and needle assembly isfabricated from a single sheet of malleable material. This sheet is laidout in a pattern which provides the major functional portions of thebody when it is subjected to a simple forming operation.

After forming, the body includes a central shallow troughshaped portionfor receiving the cartridge. One end of the body includes curved fingersthrough which the needle end of the assembly is inserted at an anglewhich permits the cartridge to clear the rear of the body and to berotated into the trough. The other end of the body which is remote fromthe curved fingers is formed in an arc to provide a passageway for thesyringe plunger rod and then continued in a diametrically oppositedirections to form finger grips or tabs which extend from opposite sidesof the body. Portions of the tabs are bent down to form finger grips forthe syringe. The fingers further provide means for anchoring thecartridge in the body when the contents are discharged. The centralportion in the interest of economy may be reduced to a mere connectingstrip.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the followingdescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of an embodiment of this inven- When the cost ofthe unit is a tion assembled with a representative disposable cartridgeand needle assembly;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken through Fig. 1 alongthe line 22 looking in the direction of the arrows showing therepresentative cartridge and needle assembly as it is being rotated tobe loaded into the syringe body;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken through Fig. 1 alongthe line 3-3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken through Fig. 2 alongthe line 4-4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of another embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken through Fig. 5 alongthe line 66 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 7 is a layout pattern of the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 before itis formed into the syringe body.

in Fig. l a disposable cartridge and needle assembly 10, of the typefully described and claimed in copending application for U. S. LettersPatent Serial No. 264,992

filed January 4, 1952, now U. S. Patent No. 2,737,949,

is shown assembled within the hypodermic syringe body I 12. The body 12is formed of a single sheet of malleable material, cold rolled steel,for example. This body may be conveniently fabricated of a sheet of 22gauge cold rolled steel (approximately .030 inch thick). Other malleablematerials such as brass, aluminum or copper might also be used. A coldrolled steel body may be protected from corrosion after forming by dipor spray painting, for example. Other forms of corrosion protection maybe galvanizing, plating (such as cadmium plating) or any othereconomical coating procedure. The syringe body might also conceivably befabricated from sheets of nonmetallic materials such as a plastic whichis capable of being shaped and then maintaining the formedconfiguration.

The disposable cartridge and needle assembly 10 includes an ampule orcartridge 14 preferably made of glass, having at one end a reduced neckportion 16 terminating in an annular lip which is sealed by a stopper 18secured Within the neck 16 by means of a ferrule 20. The stopper 18includes an axial needle receiving recess 22 terminating in a thin wallwhich normally separates the inner end of a double pointed needle 24from the contents of the cartridge 14. Ferrule 20 is also provided witha central opening to permit passage of the needle 24 into the stopper.

Needle 24 is provided with a cylindrical hub 26 having an enlarged end28 which carries a skirt encasing the outer periphery of ferrule 20. Theother end 30 of hub 26 is reduced in diameter to receive a needle covermember 32 which hermetically seals the needle. Details of this cartridgeand needle assembly are provided in aforementioned copending applicationfor U. S. Letters Patent Serial No. 264,992, now U. S. Patent No.2,737,949.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 4, the structure of an embodiment of thisinvention is described'in conjunction with this representative cartridgeand needle assembly 10 to indicate its features of novelty and how theycooperate with a representative cartridge and needle assembly 10. Thebody 12 of the syringe includes a shallow trough-shaped central portion40 which receives the medicament-containing cartridge 14 of theassembly. One end of the body 12 formed of the single sheet of materialis shaped to provide curved fingers 42. These fingers form an are 44 ofa diameter and arcuate enclosure which permits angular insertion of theneedle cover 32 portion of the assembly 10 and subsequent rotation ofthe cartridge 14 into the shallow trough-shaped portion of the body 12.The needle Patented Nov. 11, 1958 portion of the. assembly is, fullyinserted through the are 44 provided by fingers 42, and the frontportion of the cartridge, determined by the front edge of enlargedportion 28. of. hub. 26, is arrested by the rear edges of fingers, 42.The cartridge portion of the assembly is then rotated aboutthe. axisprovided by the rear edges. of fingers 42 to be guided into the shallowtrough 40. The tips of fingers 42 are rounded to facilitate rotation ofthe cartridge into the trough during the loading operation.

The portion 46 of the body intermediate the troughshaped portion 4.0 andthe fingers 42 is reduced cross section from the main portion 4% toreceive the cylindrical hub 26 of the cartridge assembly 10. Theshoulder defined by the front edge of the enlarged portion 28 of hub 26may be considered as a junction point between the cartridge and needle.The rear edges of fingers 42, therefore, may be described as providing amotion-arresting shoulder for the junction point between the needle andcartridge portions of disposable assembly 10.

The other end 48 of the body is further reduced in cross section andformed in an arcuate channel 50 which provides a passageway forreceiving and guiding the shaft 52 of plunger rod assembly 54. Plungerrod assembly 54 is later described in detail.

After forming channel 50 the body is extended to form wings or tabs 56extending from opposite sides of the body. The tabs 56 include notchedextensions 58 which are bent at right angles to the plane of wings 56 toform finger grips for the syringe. These extensions 58 are notched toallow this right angle bend without interference from the remainder ofthe body.

The plunger rod assembly 54 includes a dished disc 60 fastened to therear end of rod 52 to provide a means for applying thumb pressure todischarge the syringe. Rod 52 may be conveniently formed of 17 gaugeinch diameter) cold rolled steel tubing. Disc 60 is convenientlyfastened to the rear end of rod 52, for example, by insertion of end 62of reduced cross section of rod 52 within a hole 64 in the center of thedisc. The disc 60 is secured to the rod by expanding the extreme end 68of the rod against the disc 60.

The front end 68 of tubular rod 52 is internally threaded at 70 forengaging the stud 72 extending from the plunger 74 of the cartridge 10.The front end of the rod 52 is flared at 76 to maintain it anchoredwithin the slot .8 in the absence of a cartridge 10.

By virtue of the novel configuration herein described, body 12 providesstructural attributes which enable'it to operatively receive adisposable cartridge and needle assembly and efficiently inject thecontents of the cartridge. r

The needle cover 32, of course, is removed before injection. The frontend of rod 52 may be maintained un form in cross section with the restof the rod to allow withdrawal of the rod, if so desired. The centralportion of the body may be reduced to a strip which has sufficientstrength to maintain the extremities of the body in operativerelationship. This may further simplify the structure.

Figs. 5 through 7 describe another embodiment of this invention. Fig. 7particularly shows a pattern outlined on a single sheet of malleablematerial to provide a blank for forming the aforementioned one-piecebody. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodimentshown in Figs. 1 through 4. Parts shown in Figs. 5 through 7 identicalto those shown in Figs. 1 through 4 are, therefore, designated by thesame reference characters followed by the sufiix a.

Referring to Fig. 7 a blank 80 is laid out in a pattern which providesthe operative or functional features of the hypodermic syringe body.This blank 8t) may be generally described as laid out in a T-shapedpattern. The cross bar portion 82 provides extending wings 84 forforming the finger grip portion of the syringe body. The upright portion86 provides a longitudinal sheet for forming the shallow trough-shapedportion of the syringe. The

upright portion 86 of the T terminates in fingers 88 which are laterbent to form the cartridge arresting or retaining portion of the body.Portions of the pattern 90 form notches between the wings 84 and upright86. Portions 92 of the wings 84 lying below the dashed bending lines 94are bent to form tabs to provide the finger grips. Notches 90 provideclearance between the tabs 92 and the upper portion of the upright 86 toallow bending of the tabs without interference by the syringe body. Anelongated hole 96 is provided across the center of upright 86 forpurposes "rich are later described.

To avoi needless repetition, the parts of the embodirnent shown in Figs.5 through 7 which are identical to those shown in the embodimentdescribed in Figs. 1 through 4 are not specifically described.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the fingers 42a are directly connected tothe main body or shallow trough portion 48a. This eliminates thetransition portion 46 shown in Figs. 1 through 4 for engaging the hubbetween the needle and cartridge. The rear portion of the body connecting the wings 56a to the trough-shaped portion of the body ispinched close together as shown at 100 to properly position the channel48a which guides and receives the plunger rod 52a.

The elongated cutout 96 and the remainder of the circumferential portionof the body 40a in line with the elongated hole 96 are indented at 1&2to form a curved indentation about the circumference of the body. Thisindentation provides ameans for receiving a protuberance which may beincluded for various purposes about the circumference of a disposablecartridge and needle assembly.

The operation of an embodiment of this invention, including loading ofthe disposable cartridge and needle assembly into the body and injectionof the contents of the cartridge, may be best understood by reference toFigs. 1 and 2. Fig. 2 shows the cover-protected needle portion of theassembly inserted into the arc provided by the fingers 42 with theshoulder provided by the front edge of enlarged portion 28 of needle hub26 bearing against the rear edges of fingers 42. The configuration ofthe fingers 42 particularly the open portion of the arc enables thecover protected needle portion to be inserted at an angle which permitsthe cartridge portion 14 of the assembly to clear the rearportion of thebody particularly the finger grips 56. The rounded rear edges of thefingers 42 then facilitate rotation of the assembly 10 into the positionshown in Fig. 1 with the cartridge lying within the trough 40. The frontend of plunger rod 76 is then screwed on to the stud 72 of plunger 74 ofthe cartridge 10.

The contents of the syringe are injected after removal of the needlecover 32 by exerting pressure with the thumb on the disc 60 of theplunger rod assembly 54 while the finger grips 56 are grasped by twoother fingers. This initially forces the ferrule 20 of the cartridgeforward within the skirt provided by needle hub section 28. This causesthe inner end of double-pointed needle 24 to pierce the stopper 18 toplace the inner end of the needle in communication with the contents ofthe cartridge. Subsequent pressure pushes the plunger 74 forward whichin turn forces the contents of the cartridge out through the needle.

This simple structure, therefore, provides means for anchoring theforward portion of the cartridge for initially forcing the needlethrough the stopper and then discharging the contents of the cartridgethrough the needle. The rear portion of the body provides finger gripsand a passageway for guiding the plunger rod.

As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, modifications andequivalents of these embodiments may be employed without departing fromthe spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A hypodermic syringe body for operatively receiving a disposablecartridge and needle assembly joined by 5 a needle hub, said bodycomprising a sheet of malleable material, said sheet being formed toprovide a shallow trough-shaped central portion for receiving thecartridge portion of said assembly, one end of said body includingcurved fingers, each of said fingers being formed in a portion of acircular arc included within a plane disposed perpendicular to thelength of said body,said fingers terminating a distance from each otherto provide a space between their ends which permits insertion of theneedle portion of said assembly through said fingers at an angleallowing the cartridge portion of the assembly to clear the rear of thebody and to be pivoted into its operative position within thetrough-shaped portion of said body, said fingers being long enough andtheir ends sufiiciently close to each other to anchor said cartridge 152,745,403

within said body, and the end of said body remote from said fingersforming a passageway for guiding a plunger rod and extending to formfinger grips for said syringe body.

2. A hypodermic syringe body as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bodyincludes a transition portion between said fingers and said shallowtrough-shaped central portion, said transition portion being shaped toconform to said hub, said fingers being rounded to facilitate rotationof said cartridge into said trough-shaped portion.

Reterences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSGoldberg May 15, 1956

